Sail Force Calculator

Formula

To calculate the Sail Force (\(SF\)):

\[ SF = [L \cdot \sin(a) - D \cdot \cos(a)] + [L \cdot \cos(a) + D \cdot \sin(a)] \]

Where:

\(SF\) is the total sail force (N)
\(L\) is the lift force (N)
\(D\) is the drag force (N)
\(a\) is the apparent wind angle (degrees)

What is Sail Force?

A sail force is the total force on a sail. There are two types of sail forces that you need to understand: lift and drag. The first is the force that propels the sailboat forward, while the second is a force that resists movement.

Example Calculation 1

Let's assume the following values:

Lift Force (\(L\)) = 500 N
Drag Force (\(D\)) = 200 N
Apparent Wind Angle (\(a\)) = 45 degrees

Using the formula:

\[ SF = [500 \cdot \sin(45^\circ) - 200 \cdot \cos(45^\circ)] + [500 \cdot \cos(45^\circ) + 200 \cdot \sin(45^\circ)] \]

\[ SF \approx 707.11 \]

The Sail Force is approximately 707.11 N.

Example Calculation 2

Let's assume the following values:

Lift Force (\(L\)) = 300 N
Drag Force (\(D\)) = 100 N
Apparent Wind Angle (\(a\)) = 30 degrees

Using the formula:

\[ SF = [300 \cdot \sin(30^\circ) - 100 \cdot \cos(30^\circ)] + [300 \cdot \cos(30^\circ) + 100 \cdot \sin(30^\circ)] \]

\[ SF \approx [300 \cdot 0.5 - 100 \cdot 0.866] + [300 \cdot 0.866 + 100 \cdot 0.5] \approx 150 - 86.6 + 259.8 + 50 = 373.2 \]

The Sail Force is approximately 373.2 N.